Button-hole-stitching machine



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. S. HILL.

BUTTON HOLE STITOHING MAGHINE.

No. 462,865. Patented'Nov. 10,1891.

dam 9% M 9 43 (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet- 2.

G. S. HILL.

BUTTON HOLE STITGHING MACHINE.

N0.-462,865. Patented N v. 10, 1891.

(No Model.) 5 SheetsSh.eet 3.

G. S. HILL.

BUTTON HOLE STITGHING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 10,1891.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. G. S. HILL. BUTTON HOLE STITGHING MACHINE.

"No. 462,865. Patented Nov. 10,1891.

lg 8157098665. Ir vveniimr' aha/m5 E w ygf (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5G. S. HILL. BUTTON HOLE STITGHING MACHINE.

No. 462,865. Patented Nov. 10, 1891.

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mxfma z EM 7 @a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. HILL, OF BRADFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECEBUTTON-HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

BUTTON-HOLE-STITCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,865, dated November10, 1891.

Application filed March 23, 1891- Serial No. 386,044. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. HILL, of Bradford, county of Essex, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Button-Hole-StitehingMachines, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specificatiomlike letters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

to United States Patent No. 3%),359, dated September 21, 1886, shows anddescribes a machine for stitching button-holes, the said machinecontaining the following elements, viz: a work-clamp; a stitch-formingmechanism and cooperating throat-palte, the latter supporting the edgesof the material while the stitch-forming mechanism acts to overstitchone straight side of a button-hole slit, the eye thereof, and along theother straight side of the said slit; a button-hole-cutting mechanismwhich at the proper time, as after a button-hole has been finished, isput into position with relation to the work-clamp so that when thematerial in which a button hole has just been stitched has been removedfrom the work-clamp and the material again reclamped the cutter may beagain operated to cut the material for the next button-hole to beoverstitched, the cutting mechanism being thereafter retracted until thestitch-forming mechanism and work-clam p are again brought into properworking position with relation to the work in the work-clamp to stitchthe said slit, and feeding mechanism to effect the feed- 5 ing of theframe carrying the stitch-forming mechanism to thus space the stitches.

In the patent referred to the frame carrying the stitch-formingmechanism, the throatplate, and the cutting mechanism is made movable inthe direction of the length of the button-hole, while the work-clamp isheld sta tionary, and it is only While the throat-plate is between themembers of the work-clamp that the edge of the button-hole is being 5stitched.

In the patent mentioned about one-half of the time occupied by themovement in each direction of the frame carrying the stitchformingmechanism is consumed for the stitch- 5o ing operation, the other halfof the time being consumed in moving the cutting mechanism into and outof operative position with relation to the work-clamp to cut the material held therein and then to retire.

I desire it to be understood that prior to my invention it has also beencommon to move the work-clamp longitudinally while the straight sides ofthe button-hole are being stitched, the frame carrying thestitch-forming mechanism and throat-plate remaining fixed, andconsequently my invention would not be departed from by simply movingthe work-clamp longitudinally or in the direction of the length of thebutton-hole slit, instead of moving the stitch-forming mechanism in thedirection of the straight sides of the but-- ton-hole slit, for one planis a well-known equivalent forthe other; and by the term to change therelative positions of the workclamp on the one part and thestitch-forming 7o mechanism and throat-plate on the other part I meanand intend to cover moving either the stitch-forming mechanism andthroat-plate along the edges of the buttonhole slit or moving the clampto carry the edges of the button-hole slitalong the throat plate andbetween the members of the stitchforming mechanism, and in themachineherein to be described, with but very slight alterations, which will bedesignated, it will be seen that the work-clamp may be made to travellongitudinally and the frame carrying the stitch-forming mechanism beleft stationary.

This present invention has for its object to so improve the class ofbutton-hole machines in which the button-hole is both cut and worked onthe same machine that the said machines may be made very much moreproductive than heretofore. I have accom- 9o plished this by combiningwith the feeding and spacing mechanism, which moves either the framecarrying the stitch-forming mechanism and throat-plate or the work-clamplongitudinally in the direction of the length of the button-hole slit tospace the stitches, actuating mechanism for the said feeding and spacingmechanism and devices to automatically increase the effective movementof the said actuating mechanism, so that when the stitch-formingmechanism is not operating to stitch a button-hole the feeding will bemore rapid than when the stitch-forming mechanism is operating tostitch. There is a limit beyond which the feeding speed during stitchingcannot be increased, but the limit of the feeding speed during the timethat the cutting mechanism is being'put into and moved out of operativeposition with relation to the work-clamp may be as fast as the mechanismemployed can perform its work.

Figure 1, in side elevation with the lower frame partiallybroken out,shows a sufficient portion of a well-k nown button-hole-stitchingmachine with my improvements added to enable my invention to beunderstood, the said figure showing the cutting mechanism in position tocut the material after the latter shall have been put into thework-holder and clamped therein. Fig. 2 is a partial plan view with theoverhanging arm of the stitchcarrying frame and with the upper blade ofthe cutting mechanism and its carrier removed. 3 and 4 show details ofan arm which co-operates with a controller-bar to stop and start thestitch-forming mechanism to overstitch the edges of the button-hole.Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively an edge and top view of thecontrolling-bar detached. Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively an edge andplan view of the feed-controlling block. Fig. 9 is a detail chiefly toshow the actuating mechanism for the feeding and spacing mechanism, thesaidactuating mechanism serving to increase the effective speed of thefeeding while the stitch-forming mechanism is not acting to stitchabutton-hole slit. FigJlO is a section in the dotted line 00, Fig. 9.Fig. 11 is a detail showing parts of the feeding mechanism; Fig. 12, amodification to be described;.and Fig. 13 shows the lever 33 detached.

The frame-work a, the stationary plate a, having ways upon which thesaid frame travels, the lowerframe a to which in Figs. 1 and -2 theplate a is shown as pivoted by pivotsa", the main. shaft a having uponit within the frame a suitable eccentrics and cams to actuate the'stitch-forming mechanism, including a needle-bar I), having a needle dand a gear 61 engaged by a segmentlever e, pivoted at (2 the eccentric55, the rock-shaft 71, having an arm 74, provided with a stud 75, thecurb a connected to or forming part of the frame a, the cuttingbed gattached to the curb a, the cuttingblade G carried by the lever G,pivoted at G, the cars 24, rising from the lower members m of thework-clamp attached to the plate a, the pivoted fingers 22, carrying theupper serrated members an of the workclamp, the L-shaped blocks 26,pivoted thereto, the arms 29, the rock-shaft 30, to which they areconnected, the spring-plates 28, carried by the arms 29 and engaging thehooked lower ends of the blocks 26 when depressed by the cam-lever 33 toclose the work-clamp, the throat-plate O, which supports the edges ofthe material to be stitched while held in the clamp, andthe feeding andspacing mechanism composed, essentially, of the cam-wheel j, having arim 50, engaged by a clutch-dog 49, the dog in its movements engagingand rotating the said wheel intermittingly, the cam 57, to close thecutting mechanism and the stationary stud, are and maybe allsubstantially as in United States Patent No. 349,359, to which referencemay be had, wherein the said parts are designated by like letters, andherein all the said parts will be operated as provided for in the saidpatent, with the exception of the dog 49, forming part of the feedingand spacing mechanism, which dog, in accordance with my invention, isoperated by novel devices which I have added to the machine.

The patent referred to had a belt-pulley loose on the shaft a andco-operating with it was a clutch, which was controlled by the stud ofthe lever 74 when the rock-shaft 71 was moved, so as to start inoperation the stitch-forming mechanismat the proper time and to stop theoperation of the stitch-forming mechanism after the stitching of thesecond straight side of the button-hole.

Herein I have shown as applied to the shaft a a belt-pulley and clutchsuch as contained in United States Patent No. 367,063, dated July26,1887, which patent is an improvement upon the clutch pulleycontrivance represented in Patent No. 349,359.

The rock-shaft 71 has an arm cl, provided with a toe d and upon this armis loosely pivoted a toe e the said toe serving, in connection with thecam projection (3', (see Figs. 5 and 6 on the controller-bar e to liftthe arm 01' and place the toe d upon the shelf 6 forming part of thecontroller-bar, the said arm, when turned to place the toe upon theshelf, effecting the release of the clutch used, so that the belt-pulleyis made fast to and will rotate theshaft a and start in operation thestitch-forming mechanism, the said shaft continuing to rotate andactuate the stitchforming mechanism, while the latterstitches along oneside of and about the end and along the second side of the button-hole,at which time the toe drops from the abrupt end of the shelf, causingthe stud 75 to come in the path of and effect the disengagement of theclutch fast with relation. to the shaft a from the loose belt-pulley,thus stopping the stitchforming mechanism.

The devices thus far described and referred to specifically by letterare not of my invention.

I have-applied'to the frame a" a feed-regulating cam-block h, and aboutthe eccentric 55, near'the outer end of the shaft a I have applied aneccentric-strap and connecting-rod h. The rod h is jointed by the pin 72to the upper end of the lever 713, provided at its lower end with a rod71. adapted to strike and move a clutch-dog 49, common to the saidpatent. To enable the lever h to reciprocate the rod h for a greater orless distance and consequently move the dog 49 more or less to increaseor lessen, as desired, the

feed-speed, the said lever has been slotted at 72 and the slot receivesa movable fulcrum 7L5, mounted on an adjustable fulcrumcarrier h,pivoted on a hub 7L extended laterally from the frame a, and throughwhich hub is extended the rock-shaft 71. The lever 7L3 at its rear side,as best shown in Fig. 10, has an arm 77. provided with a pin orprojection, which enters a guide-slot in an arm h, forming part of abracket extended from the plate a, the sole purpose of the arm itreferred to and of the projection entering therein being to preventvertical movement of the lever h but yet not interfere with the positivevibrations to be imparted to it by or through the connecting rod or link7t. This being the case, the particular shape of the projection h or theparticular part of the mechanism which supports it is immaterial.

The eccentric 55, the connecting-rod h,lever 71 and rod 7L constitutewhat- I denominate the actuating mechanism for feeding or changing therelative positions of the stitch forming and cutting mechanism on theone part with relation to the work-clamp on the other part, while theadjustable fulcrum-carrier and cam-block it constitute the mechanism bywhich to automatically increase the movement of the rod 79 andconsequently the speed of the frame aduringthe time that the said frameis being moved to put the cut ting mechanism into and out of operativeposition with relation to the work-clamp; but this invention is notintended to be limited to the exact devices shown for producing thefeeding and spacing movements or to the exact actuating devices, as thesaid devices may be variously modified Without departing from myinventionas, for instance, instead I may use any suitable devices forengaging and rotating the wheel j, or for varying the fulcrum of thelever 7L3 between the time of completing the stitching of onebutton-hole and the time of commencing the stitching of the nextbutton-hole. The inner end of the rod It plays through a suitable guideh, connected preferably with the lower frame of, and strikes the dog 49,fullydescribed in the said Patent No. 349,359 referred to, the dogbiting upon or engaging the cylindrical curb 50, rising from the plateor wheel j, the said wheel in its step-by-step rotation causing theframe a and stitch-forming mechanism carried thereby to travel on theusual ways of the plate a, so that the throat-plate C may be made totravel longitudinally between the spread or open members of thework-clamp, while the stitchforming mechanism is operated to stitchalong one straight side of and about the eye, and back along the otherstraight side of a button-hole slit, all as provided for in the saidPatent No. 349,359.

It will be understood that the eccentric 55, working through theeccentricstrap h, will actuate it and the lever 71 positively,uniformly, and silently, or without blows or shocks, as would be thecase if the eccentric struck a lever, as in said Patent No. 349,359, andas the fulcrum 7L5 for the lever 7L3 is varied, the throw of the rod 7iwill be greater or less, and consequently the dog 49 will have a greateror less throw and move the frame a faster or slower.

There is a maximum speed for good work while the stitch-formingmechanism is acting to overstitch the edges of the button-hole but atall other times during the movement of the frame a, in order to increasethe productiveness of the machine, it is desirable to move the saidframe Ct, it carrying the stitch-forming mechanism, and also thebutton-hole-cutting mechanism, as rapidly as possible, in order that thebutton-hole-cntting mechanism may be put into position between the openjaws of the work-clamp to cut a slit in the work held by its jaws and toretire from such position to enable the stitch-forming mechanism to beagain started as quickly as possible to stitch the button-hole slit.

In accordance with myinvention, as herein represented, one of the arms29 of the rockshaft 30, common to the latter patent, is provided with astand 69, upon which is pivoted at 70 a locking-bar 77, normally held upbya spring 72, so as to engage a toe 73, connected to the dog 49. As theframe ctand the (log 49 complete their movement toward the left, viewingFigs. 1 and 2, to put the cutting mechanism into cutting position withrelation to the work-clamp, the toe 73 rides up over the inclined outerend of the locking-bar 77 until just about as the cloth-cutting devicescome into correct working position, when the locking-bar 77 movesupwardly and engages the toe 73, thus locking the feed-dog andpreventing its further movement, and consequently any further movementof the frame 0 until after the locking device is released.

Viewing the drawings, let it be assumed that a piece of material to becut and stitched has just been laid between the upper and lower membersof the work-clamp. If the cam-lever 33, common to the said patent, isnow turned so that its cam part strikes one of the arms 29 of therock-shaft 30', the other arm in its movement will depress the lockingdevice and disengage the toe 73, thus permitting the dog 49 to be struckby the constantlyreciprocating rod 78 which immediately starts themachine and causes cam 57, com mon to Patent .No. 349,859, toimmediately actuate the cutter. As shown in the drawings, the fulcrum his nearest the pivot 7L2 of the lever as the feeding mechanism starts oris put in touch with the rodh and at this time the speed of the feedingmovement is the faster, for the arm of the lever lbs to which the rod his connected is the longer. The lever h has a finger h gprovided witharoll 71 which meets the incline 66 of the feed-regulating cam-block 7bas the frame a is being moved to the right, viewing Figs. 1 and 2, andjust at the time that the rock-shaft 71 is turned to start ICC thestitch-forming mechanism in operation. This movement imparted to thelever h as the roll h goes up the incline 66 is such as to shorten thestroke of the rod h and decrease the speed of the feeding or-spacingmovementof the frame a. lVhen the frame a is near the end of its stroketo the right, viewing Figs. 1 and 2, the stitch-forming mechanism, asprovided for in said Patent No. 349,359, stitches about the eye of'thebutton-hole, and at this time it is desirable to yet further shorten thestroke of the rod 71 and the stitch, and to do this I have provided theblock referred to with a second incline 67, (see Fig. 9,) against whichthe roll 77. strikes. As the roll h leaves the upper end of the incline66 the usual cam-grooves in the cam or wheel referred to, which is movedby the dog 49, as provided for in said Patent No. 349,359, reverse themovement of the frame a, carrying the stitch-forming mechanism, to causethe second part or straightside of the button-hole to. be stitched, thethroatplate traveling along under that side of the button-hole andbetween the jaws of the work-clamp. As soonlas the second part of thebutton-hole has been stitched the roller h travels down the incline 66and a suitable spring 68,aoting upon the lever h, aids in moving thefulcrum 72, upwardly in the slot 72 to thus increase the stroke of therod 72, to'quickly increase the speed of movement of the feedingmechanism and frame while the cutting mechanism carried by the saidframe is being moved forward into correct position with relation to thework-clamp to receive between its members the work which is to be nextclamped between the jaws thereof. The frame at having been moved farenough to place the cutting mechanism into position with relation to thework-clamp, the locking-bar 7 '7 again engages the toe 73 and stops themechanism, it remaining stopped while the piece of material having abuttonhole properly stitched is taken out from the work-clamp and thematerial is again put into the work-clamp to be again out for anewbutton-hole to-be stitched.

I desire it to be understood that the locking device 77 might be appliedto advantage to the machine shown in United States Patent No. 349,359,the said locking device engaging a suitable pin or projection at thelower end of the lever which actuates the dog 49, to thus hold lockedthe lower end of the said lever to keep its upper end out of the rangeof movement of the rod It. By turning down the screw 80, carried by thelever h, the said screw acting upon the finger h, the fulcrum 72, of thelever 77.3 will be moved toward the lower end of the said lever, andconsequently the number of stitches put into the button-hole will beincreased, and vice versa.

Having described my invention as applied to a machine wherein the framecarrying the stitch-forming mechanism and throat-plate are movedlongitudinally with relation to a stationary work-clamp to travel alongboth sides of a button-hole slit, I will now describe one form of myinvention wherein the workclamp may be moved longitudinally while theframe carrying the stitch-forming mechanism and throat-plate remainstationary.

In Fig.1 the plate Ct is shown as united by suitable usual pivotscrewsto the lower frame abut in the plan last proposed these pivot-pins awould enter suitable holes in the curb a and the curb may have lugs 81-ting mechanism and stitch-formin-g mechanism,.a work-clamp, feeding andspacing-mechanism, and actuating mechanism for the said feeding andspacing mechanism,and devices to automatically increase the effectivespeed of the feeding and spacing mechanism after the stitching of thebutton-hole and while the cutting mechanism is being put into andremoved from position with relation to the work-clamp, or between thetimes of operat ing the stitch-forming mechanism for the pro duction oftwo button-holes insuc'cess'ion, substantially as described.

2. Abutton-hole-stitching machine containing the followinginstrumentalities, viz: a frame provided with a throat-plate,cloth-cutting mechanism and stitch-forming mechanism, a work-clamp,feeding and spacing mechanism, and actuating mechanism for the saidfeeding and spacing mechanism, and devices to automatically increase theeffective speed of the feeding and spacing mechanism after the stitchingof a button-hole and while the cutting mechanism is being put into andremoved from position with relation to the work-clamp, or between thetimes of operating the stitch-forming mechanism for the production oftwo button-holes in succession, and devices to automatically start andstop the stitch-forming mechanism to stitch the material, the feedingand spacing mechanism at such time moving at a slower speed,substantially as described.

3. A button-hole-stitchin g machine containing the followinginstrumentalities, viz: a feeding mechanism containing a feed-lever, aneccentric, a connecting-rod actuated there by to move the feed-lever, acam and a dog, and means between the said lever and dog to actuate thelatter, a movable fulcrum and fulcrum-carrier, and a cam-block to automati- IIO cally change the position of the said fulcrumcarrier tolengthen the effective stroke of the lever and consequently the speed ofthe machine in order that the speed of the feeding movement may beautomatically increased at the desired time, substantially as described.

4. In a sewingmachine, the following instruinentalities, viz: a framecarrying the stitch-forming mechanism, and a cam-Wheel for effecting thefeeding motion, a bed-plate, a Work-clamp, cutting mechanism to out thework held in the clamp, an actuating-dog for the feeding mechanism, alocking device for

